In the Land of Twilight
by Kisa Kruspe
Summary: Just after the defeat of Vegnagun and return of Tidus, Rikku pours her heavy heart with a confession of love. A sphere is found that pulls together new friends in search of a friend once lost. And the Farplane isn't what is was thought to be...[Ch. 7 Up!]
1. I

**The Disclaimer:** These characters are not mine, they belong to Square and we all know this.

**The Story:** This is Before/After they fight and defeat Vegnagun. There is slight Tidus/Yuna and some Gippal/Rikku (just like leaning to it), but it's not the main pairing. It's a Aurikku (Auron/Rikku) with a lot of twists and turns. I mean, really. All FFX's had so many loopholes they are just that easy to play with, I think. Minus all the flashbacks, this takes place like a day after defeating Vegnagun. (They really do never rest I suppose.)

**Authors Note:** If you think Rikku is OOC because she's depressed, come on. We all can't be smiles and giggles, can we? ;) All feedback is welcome. No flames and constructive criticism is very welcome.

* * *

"Gullwiiiings! To your stations!!" Brother's loud voice seemed to echo through the entire airship that night, stopping the three female members of the sphere hunting group from heading into bed.

"He couldn't have said anything when we were already on the deck, could he?" Tired, Paine was already in a bitter not-to-be-messed with mood. But, they couldn't just ignore the boss' order, so they headed back to the elevator.

Once the tired trio arrived, Brother crossed his arms over his chest, trying his best to look a good leader. "Tomorrow," he paused to do some weird arm motion, "we fight Vegnagun! Be sure to get sleep. And...if anyone needs me to snuggle with..." He leaned to Yuna before Rikku violently pushed him back.

"You sicko!" She growled and turned around, heading back upstairs.

Yuna glanced to Paine with a questionable look. She had noticed during the course of the evening that Rikku had been acting funny. She was so used to her cheery nature that anything else was foreign. "You think she's ok?" Yuna quietly asked Paine as they walked from the bridge to the hallway.

"Probably not." Paine sighed and placed an hand on her hip. "Then again, with all that's going on, who would be?"

"I suppose you are right." Yuna smiled gently as they waited for the elevator to come back to their floor, Rikku already upstairs. "I'm not used to seeing her like this anymore. Except when I was on my pilgrimage, that is."

"She'll be alright." Paine stepped onto the platform and Yuna just nodded. They had a big day tomorrow and knew she needed as much sleep as she could get. When the two walked upstairs to where the beds were, she noticed that Rikku's was empty.

"Wonder where she is?" Yuna looked around, but only seen the Hypello downstairs.

"She's fine, Yuna." Paine slipped into her bed and turned the bedside light off. Yuna frowned deeply and got into her own bed. She couldn't help but worry about her Al Bhed cousin, hoping that if something was wrong, Rikku would tell her about it.

Instead of heading to the cabin, Rikku went up another level to the deck where she could spend her time writing without anyone knowing. She knew it might look suspicious since she wasn't in bed, and she had two other roommates, but she wasn't too worried about it. Before stepping out onto the deck, she opened a small compartment next to the door with her password. Inside the small space was a leather bound book and pen. She removed them both and headed outside. Since the Celsius was parked, she'd have an easier time writing without the wind blowing the pages of her journal around.

She took a seat behind on of the large lights to give her just enough illumination to see, but not too much to blind her. She opened the book and found the last page she wrote before starting to write.

_Well, tomorrow is the big day. We are heading into the Farplane in search of Vegnagun and hopefully we'll defeat it. I wish the stupid thing would have stayed in Bevelle. Why in Spira did it have to go into the Farplane? I'm worried I'm going to think about him tomorrow when we get there. I had asked Shinra if there were only certain parts of the Farplane that you can see memories of people through pyreflies, but he just said, "how do I know? I'm only a kid." Some great help he is._

_I'm worried about Gippal, too. I hope he's alright down there. Now that we know what happened to them in the Den of Woe, I'm worried that Shuyin's ghost is more aggressive than what is was those years ago. I want to be worried about Baralai and Nooj too, but I can't get Gippal out of my head. I suppose it was because we went on a date a year back. Nothing happened from it, though. I was in love and it wasn't with him._

_I miss him so much it hurts. Every time I think back to our trip two years ago I feel my heart pound in my chest and want to sit on my bed and cry. But, what good would that do? It won't bring him back, I know this. I get angry at Yuna for thinking that she can get Tidus back sometimes. Maybe I'm angry for the fact that he could come back, and I'll be forever stuck without Auron._

_Ah, Auron. Two years ago I told you right out in Zanarkand that I was in love with you and I still remember those words you said to me. "Rikku, you are just a child, you don't know love yet." To be honest, I don't think you really meant that._

_I also remember back to the night on the airship, the night before we went to fight Sin. You told me you were unsent and had died when you attacked Lady Yunalesca. I was surprised at my self for not caring. I didn't love you any less. I was... I was so sad. I knew after everything was over, you'd be one. First I was going to lose my cousin, then I wasn't. Then I was going to lose you, and my world became a pit of despair. "Don't feel sad for me." You said, "I've been dead ten-years and I'm used to it." Then you chuckled. Hm, just the thought of that gives me shivers._

_I do feel sad for you. I miss you. I love you. And these past two years I didn't forget about you like you thought I would. I loved you more. Not too long ago I got a sphere from Rin, which had you in it. I had taken it from Shinra and watch it atleast once a night before I go to bed._

_I guess I'm writing this - like all my other entries - like a letter to you incase you do happen to come back. I want you to read it after I tell you everything first. Of course. Well, tomorrow is going to be crazy, so I should go to sleep._

Closing the book gently, Rikku looked into the night sky before standing back up. With a heavy sigh, she went back into the airship, returning the journal to the side compartment, and going down to the cabin.

Just as she was about to lay down on her bed, a small whisper made he jump. "Rikku?" Yuna turned to face her cousin, her face baring a worried expression. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Sitting on the bed, Rikku removed her boots before laying down. "I'm just, you know, jittery about tomorrow and all."

"I understand." Yuna paused and Rikku could tell she wanted to say more. Which she did. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" Rikku nodded and smiled.

"I'm not keeping anything from you on purpose, Yuine." Setting her head on her pillow, she looked over at her cousin and sighed. "It's just...hard to talk about right now. I want to concentrate on Vegnagun, ya know?"

"I know." She smiled back and moved her hand across the two beds to pat Rikku's arm. "When this is all over, you'll talk to me?"

"Promise!" Rikku make a salute with her hand and the two laughed before going to sleep.


	2. II

The next day the three sphere hunters headed into the Farplane and with help from the LeBlanc Syndicate, Nooj and Gippal, they defeated Vegnagun. Not only him, but the ghost of Shuyin was reunited with his love, Lenne, and was finally able to rest. As they were all leaving, Rikku and Paine went on ahead, talking with Nooj, Gippal, and Baralai about what was to happen between their three groups. Nooj suggested holding a conference in Luca like two years ago. Which Gippal and Baralai agreed fully with.

As they all began to head into the Celsius, Gippal held Rikku back. "You alright?" His one hand went to his hip as he looked to the younger Al Bhed.

"I'm great, silly!" She pushed his shoulder with her hand and laughed.

"No, you're not." He frowned and looked at her seriously. "We grew up together and I can tell when you are sincerely happy and when you put on a front. Like when your mom died."

Rikku frowned and turned her head to the side. "It's nothing, really. Nothing I'm wanting to talk about anyway..." With a large sigh, she pushed his arm again and jumped in place. "Hey! Come on! We just defeated Vegnagun! It's a great day!"

Gippal shook his head with a small laugh. "That's true. But, really. If you need to talk, you know where I'm at, ok?" He ruffled her hair and quickly boarded the ship before she had a chance to retaliate.

Rikku sighed as she fixed her hair, thinking. _"That's the second person who said that. I guess I should talk about Auron sometime. It might help... But, I don't know if **I'm** ready..._" Frowning, she looked around the before walking up to the sphere, teleporting her onboard.

* * *

"Aww! Why can't we go to the party?" Rikku looked over at Paine, hands on her legs as the racing wind flowed across her.

"There will be other parties." Paine half-smiled, causing Rikku to smile back. She could tell her gray-haired friend had broken the cold and hard wall that was once around her after finding out what really happened to the Crimson Squad. She was glad for her, a part of her past was now just where it was supposed to be, and she didn't have to brood over it anymore.

"Hey... What's that?" Yuna called back to the other two who walked over to her, careful not to fall off the speeding airship. They were heading over Besaid when Yuna pointed into the water. Rikku seen it too, a blur of yellow in the bright blue sea. "Could it... BROTHER!" Yuna raced into the ship, and with a glance to one another, Rikku and Paine followed. "Land the ship! Right away!" Yuna wasted no time and headed right for the elevator to take her to the opening.

"Yikes!" Rikku fell onto Paine as the Celsius veered hard to the side before landing. Rikku watched as Yuna jumped out the ship before it even landed. And then she seen why. "Ohh, WOW!" Smiling brightly, Rikku and Paine waited on the ship, watching as Yuna and Tidus held each other on the edge of the ocean. Wakka's loud voice came from the side and Rikku laughed out as the whole isle of Besaid stood on the shore line.

"Hiya!" Waving her arms, she caught his attention and smiled. "Let's go!" She turned to Paine as they ran to the beach where the two reunited lovers were headed. "Guess we'll have that party after all." She laughed back to Paine who gave a smile and ran with her.

There was a huge party in Besaid that day, leading on to the night. Yuna had to share Tidus with the Aurochs who told him about how they started blitzing again, and Wakka who was showing off his new kid. Rikku couldn't stop laughing when he asked Wakka how in the world he managed to get with Lulu. Wakka put him in a headlock and the two wrestled around.

Rikku looked at Yuna who was watching the two "duke" it out, and smiled. "I'm glad you got him back, Yunie."

Yuna turned and smiled brightly, giving her cousin a hug. "Thank you, Rikku." Pulling back, she raised a brow and smiled. "How about you? Are you feeling better?"

"I'm great! Don't need to think about that. You got your maaaan!" Laughing and dragging on the last word in a sing-song voice, Yuna giggled and nodded.

"I do. Ah, I feel like everything is right." Sighing, she looked into the bonfire in front of them and smiled. "Two years ago, this was the very spot when we first talked to each other. Seems like only yesterday - hey!" Laughing, Yuna turned her head when Tidus came up to her side, his arms wrapping around her hips.

"I'm going to throw some ball around with the guys. You wanna come?" He asked as Yuna smirked to Rikku.

"Actually, I've been playing some Blitzball myself." She proudly smiled as he gasped and sat back.

"No kidding?" He picked her up and set her on her feet. "Well then, show me what you're made of!"

"You bet!" Laughing, Yuna turned to Rikku and gave a small wave before the other two began to head out.

"Oh, I see how it is now. Don't come to our party to have your own!" Tidus and Yuna stopped and turned at the voice that came from the entrance to Besaid. Gippal stood there, arms crossed over his chest, smiling.

"Heeey, what are you doing here?" Rikku jumped up and walked over to him smirking. "Party crashing?"

"Actually, your brother called me out of my party because he's heartbroken or something..." He looked around the island and raised his eyebrows. "Huh, can't say I've been here before, though."

"Hi, Gippal!" Yuna walked over to them with Tidus at her side. "This is Tidus, he helped defeat Sin."

Tidus waved and rubbed the back of his head. "Wasn't nothin'."

Gippal smirked and laughed. "I've head of you, actually. Cid liked you a lot."

"You know Cid?" Tidus turned his head to the side and Rikku laughed.

"Gippal's an Al Bhed too." She explained and waved her hand.

"Ohhh, I see." Tidus nodded and looked down at Yuna who was tugging his arm. "Alright, alright. We're gonna go blitz! See ya!" He waved to the two Al Bheds and ran off with Yuna.

"So that's who she was chasing after, huh?" Gippal placed his hands on his hips as Rikku nodded. "So, uh, actually I lied. Brother did call me out, but I was trying to see how you were doing."

Rikku let out a long sigh. "Why does everyone have to ask me that?" Her hands fell down as her body shook from side to side like a flower caught in a gust of wind. "I mean, really. Just because I'm not all smiles and giggles all the time..."

"Hey, hey. I know something is on your mind, Rikku. Let's just...talk. Alright?" He turned his head to the side to catch a glance at her face. "Come on, I want to see around this place too." He nodded his head and Rikku gave in with a sigh. She had to get it off her chest to someone, right?


	3. III

Rikku lead Gippal to the beach, fighting off a few wandering fiends along the way. She started talking to him, at first how worried she was about Yuna's pilgrimage. Not only because she didn't think summoners should have to die, but because Yuna was family.

She told him that she had fallen in love with Auron along the way and just being with him made her feel like she could take on Sin herself. She told him how she confessed her love to Auron and how he told her what she was feeling wasn't love. And she told him about how the past two years she's thought about him every waking moment.

They sat down on the beach, the Aurochs plus Yuna and Tidus playing blitzball not too far away.

"I'm started to question if what I'm feeling really is love... Or just some left over emotion what is still around because he's not." She dipped her feet into the water and swished them around, her boots sitting next to her.

Gippal looked out into the ocean thoughtfully and sighed. "You know. I knew something was up when your dad fixed us up and you were so detached. I mean - I'm a great catch!" The two laughed when Rikku nudged his shoulder with hers before he went on in a more serious tone. "But I knew something was there with you, something I couldn't ever break through." Rikku looked up at Gippal, mouth slightly open from shock. "Yeah... ever since we were kids I've had a crush on you, and that crush turned into lusting, wanting, love."

"Oh, Gippal." Rikku turned fully to him, frowning deeply. "I'm so sorry. I never knew."

"Hey, don't be sorry! People can't help their emotions, right? Just like you said about being in love with Auron." He sighed and looked back out into the ocean. "And... I'm telling you this as a friend. Don't think I'm saying this to win you over, because I wouldn't do that. But... you are going to end up hurting yourself if you don't let him go. I don't want to see anything bad happen to you." He turned to look at her and was surprised to see her head down, a stream of tears flowing down her cheek. "Rikku -."

"No. No, you're right." She sniffed and wiped her face with the back of her hand. "I should let him go. He's dead... Has been dead for the past twelve years. But something won't let me." With a small gasp, she looked up into the sky, shaking her head. "I've tried so hard, but when I do I hurt worse. I don't know why, it won't let me."

Gippal wrapped an arm around her shoulder and puller her close to his body. He was surprised when her arms wrapped around him, holding him tightly and sobbing into his chest. "Hey..." He wrapped his other arm around her and held her tightly, letting her get all the frustration and hurt out.

From across the way, Yuna wrung out her hair and looked over to the side. "Ooh! Is that Gippal and Rikku?" She squinted and smiled. "Aw! That's what she was upset about."

Tidus walked up to her side and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I guess this was the perfect day after all." He kissed the top of her head as she looked up to him.

"How...did you come back?" Her head turned to the side as Tidus scratched the back of his neck.

"Good question. Last thing I remember is seeing everyone... Jecht, Auron, your dad... Then... next thing I knew I was here." He looked down at her with a smile and shrugged. "Honestly, I don't think it matters. I'm here right?"

"Yeah, but..." Yuna frowned and turned to hug him tightly. "I don't want you to go away again. What if... What if one morning I wake up and you're gone?"

"Don't think about that..." Tidus began to pet the back of her head with his hand in smoothing motions. "Just whistle for me." He smiled and looked down as she laughed gently.

"I did for two years." She said pulling back to look up at him. "But, you're right. Let's just have this time no matter what."

Tidus nodded and smiled. "And let's get something to eat. Soooo hungry!" He laughed as she poked him in the stomach with her finger.

"No surprise there." She turned to look at Rikku as a frown tugged her lips. "Weird, something seems wrong."

"Nah, she's fine. Let's let them have some privacy, you pervert." Yuna let out a loud indignant gasp as Tidus began to run tword camp, her running and laughing after him.

* * *

Rikku woke up the next morning to find herself nuzzled up with Gippal on the beach. "Oh man..." She rubbed her eyes with her balled up hands and yawned. Her eyes felt dry, burning from all the crying she did. As she opened them, she looked down at the still sleeping Gippal and smiled. She really wish she could have loved Gippal, atleast he was alive. She frowned at the thought and nudged his shoulder. "Hey you, get up." She giggled as his one good eye opened to look up at her.

"Sleeping in the sand... What true Al Bheds we are." He groaned quietly and sat up, brushing sand off his pants. "Good morning." He raised a hand to ruffle her hair, causing her to groan and whap his hand away.

"I'm sorry about last night." She admitted, turning her head down as she fixed her hair. "I didn't mean to lose it like that."

"I'm glad you did," He turned to her, lifting her face up with his thumb and forefinger. "I mean that, too. I just hope by getting it off your chest it will make you feel a little bit better."

"I do feel better. Thank you." She smiled brightly, sincerely, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a tight embrace.

"Rikku - Oh!" Paine's voice cut into the hug as Gippal and Rikku turned around to see Paine halt a few yards behind them. "I'm...sorry." Her mouth was slightly open as she looked at them in confusion.

"It's not what it looks like." Gippal waved his hand and stood up, helping Rikku up as well in the process.

"What's up?" Rikku began to pull her boots on, dumping sand out of them first, as she looked up to Paine who began to walk over to them.

"Buddy said he got a sphere wave from Zanarkand Ruins and thought we could check it out. I told Yuna, since she was at camp and she's getting things together... If you need more time." Paine looked between the two with a raised brow, Gippal's last words obviously not having any impact on her suspicion.

"Ohhh, stop it!" Rikku let out a laugh and waved her finger at Paine. "I'll be ready in a minute and we'll head out, ok?"

Paine nodded and turned slowly with a smirk and headed back to the village.

Gippal snorted out a laugh and looked to Rikku. "That was interesting." He dusted off his arms, biting at his lip as to what he was going to say next. "So... a sphere, huh?"

"Since LeBlanc retired from Sphere hunting, we won't have much competition." Rikku looked at him and laughed. "Whaaat?"

"Well, it's just that... Since the Machine Faction is going on without me for the time being... I was wondering..." He looked up at her, a smile tugging his lips up.

"You want to tag along, huh?" She placed her hands on her hips, laughing. "I don't see why not. Come on!" Grabbing his hand, she tugged him over and began to run back to Besaid before stopping him. "Uh, just one thing, though. I haven't told anyone else what I told you last night... I was kinda hoping to keep it between us."

"Sure thing." He patted the top of her head and ran off. "Come on, slow poke!"

Rikku smiled at Gippal's back and shook her head. "Thank you." She whispered to his back before running to catch up. "Hey! Wait for me!"


	4. IV

**Quick A/N** - I'd like to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews! That means so much that you like my work and it put a huge smile on my face and - uh, just awesome! Thank you all so much! I just got back from my 4th of July weekend at my in-laws and can finally sit down to write again. (What I wouldn't do for a laptop...) I thank you all again and hope to keep interests up through my fic.

* * *

"So where exactly is this sphere?" Paine looked over Buddy's shoulder to the glowing blue display panel in front of him.

"Ehh, Zanarkand?" He cautiously moved his eyes to her, but not his head. She did let out a groan once she walked away. "Hey! Don't be like that. We are upgrading the system as soon as those lazy asses from the Machine Faction..."

"What about my lazy ass team?" Gippal's voice broke through the ship as Buddy let out a loud and embarrassed laugh. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Rikku came up behind him and ran to her seat on the left of the ship. "He wanted to tag along." She explained to Brother who opened his mouth at her. He let out a grumble and turned around in his own seat.

"We all ready? Let's get that sphere!" Putting the Celsius into full-speed, they headed into the ruins. Tidus and Yuna talked to Shinra who looked at Tidus as through he was a living breathing science experiment to take apart. Gippal and Buddy did discuss the parts the ship needed and promised him that Gippal's team in the desert would get right on it.

Rikku wasn't just looking out into the sky that zoomed past them, but at Gippal. She thought about all the things he told her on the beach and felt a pang of guilt. Was she putting off something that could be wonderful because she pined over a dead man? Frowning, she turned her head down and looked at her folded hands. Something in her just wouldn't give up. Maybe it was seeing what Yuna's determination did for her and Tidus. With a small and quiet sigh, she looked back into the racing clouds and shook it off.

"Zaaaaaaanarkaaaaaaand!" Bother all but screeched from the front as the ship began downwards to land.

"Do you naturally have to be loud and annoying?" Rikku hoped out of her chair and ran off to the four others who began to head down to the exit, and before Brother could come back with a reply. She laughed once she caught up with everyone and looked at Yuna, "Any idea where the sphere is?"

Her cousin shook her head once. "Not at all. Hopefully all the monkeys there didn't touch and mess with it."

"They tend to leave spheres alone, really." Gippal pointed out once the ship stopped and the doors opened. "We have so many running around Djose Temple, but they don't... What the hell?"

He turned and before anyone could ask, they all knew the answer. There, in the middle of the Zanarkand Ruins, sat a sphere. It made Yuna, Rikku, and Tidus gasp when they realized it was where they had set up camp before going to call the Final Aeon.

"Are they...usually out in the open like this?" Tidus raised a brow down to Yuna who, once again, shook her head slowly. "Weird."

"Could it...could it be a trap?" Rikku squeaked and moved backwards until her back hit Gippal's chest.

Laughing gently, Gippal ruffled her hair and moved forward. "Doubtful. Even so, there are five of us and if we could defeat Vegnagun, no one would be stupid enough to mess with us."

"Exactly." Paine pushed past those stunned and walked to the sphere, as did Gippal and Tidus.

"Heeey!" Rikku shook out the cold feeling that seemed to freeze over her veins and pulled Yuna with her. "Wait for us!" She knew something wasn't right and something in her wanted to just bury that sphere and definitely not look at it.

"Let's just look at it." Paine picked up the glowing red orb and turned to the others. Rikku had to grab Yuna's hand tighter to keep her from smacking it out of Paine's hands.

"I... I don't know." Her voice grew small and didn't think anyone actually heard her. Inwardly she felt like crying, but knew she wasn't going to get out of looking at the sphere, so she might as well suck it up.

They all gathered in a circle around Paine and the sphere once she turned it on.

_The scene started with someone moving the recording sphere through a dark and damp hallway, sounds of water hitting stone echoed through the enclosed area. The sphere then showed a short rounded man, a black hooded robe covering his face and body. He seemed to walk to a pile of crimson colored rocks as the recorder drew closer._

_"Ge'up!" A swift motion of the small mans foot caused him to kick the lump of red on the floor. "I sa'd ge'up!" Another kick. The sickening sound of his foot hitting the rocks make it clear it wasn't a pile of rocks after all, but a human body._

_"The master wants to see him." The recorders voice was laced with an oily drawl._

_"I kn'w dat!" The short round man turned to the recorder and shook his head through the black fabric. "Som' guardian." He looked back down at the body, which weakly began to move. "Pathetic!"_

_The head to the body on the floor came into view, matted dark hair rested down on a face dirty with dried blood and dirt. The one working eye looked at the recording sphere with such hatred. "What are you doing?"_

_"Saving your memories." The recorder seemed to hiss out in a vile tongue._

_The man in red on the floor made a swing for the recorder, but missed and fell to the ground, causing the two standing to laugh. The recorder got a shot of the shorter man who pulled a long whip from behind his back and walked closer to the fallen and weak male._

The sphere shut off and five people stood in stunned silence. Paine was the first to speak, her voice thick with concern for her comrades. "Was that..."

"Sir Auron..." Yuna whispered, her eyes clouded with tears. "What... What was that?"

"That - it - that was before he died... Recent." Tidus swallowed hard and wrapped his arms around Yuna.

"Rikku!" Gippal's eyes looked up to the other Al Bhed and ran to her.

Rikku began to shake violently, eyes locked on the now unplaying sphere, streaming tears. "No." If her voice was weak before, it had died when it uttered out that word. She felt Gippal's arms around her, but the earth below her feet gave out, blackness absorbing her as she fell unconscious.


	5. V

"How is she?" Yuna and Tidus walked up to the bed where Gippal carried Rikku and where he stayed the whole two hours she had been out.

"She'll physically be alright. That sphere was pretty hard for her to see." Gippal muttered, smoothing the golden stands of hair from her face. "I'm sure she'll tell you more when she wakes up." He turned around to the others and placed his hands on his legs. "Shinra find out anything?"

Tidus put a hand on his hip and shook his head. "He has no idea. That's weird, I thought Auron was dead."

Yuna sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, heavy in thought. "He is...or was. Does this mean he isn't? I don't think the dead can be beaten up like that. I sent him."

"Farplane..." Rikku's voice made the others jump and turn their heads to her. She had woken up to hear the conversation, and she tried to sit up before Gippal stopped her.

"Take it easy." He let out a small laugh of relief. Rikku gave him a look and sat up, rubbing the back of her head.

"I'm alright." She gave a small smile to Gippal and looked at Yuna and Tidus. "I'm guessing... it wasn't a nightmare after all." She sighed and frowned.

"What did you mean about the Farplane?" Yuna went to her cousin's side and squatted down next to the bed.

"Well, we should stop by the farplane to see if he's really dead, right? If he is, the pyreflies will show up and confirm that. If they do, that..._sphere_," she spat out the word like it was the most cursed and vile thing in the word, "can't be real, right?"

Yuna pursed her lips in thought and stood up. "I'll go ask Shinra about it and we'll head right over." She patted Rikku's shoulder and gave her an 'you-better-tell-me-what-that-was-about-later' look and she and Tidus left.

Gippal stood and moved over to the foot of the bed where he took his seat. Before he could ask her about how she was, she shook her head and held up an hand.

"I'm fine. I just want to know what that was about." She looked over to the stairs where Yuna and Tidus left and then back to Gippal. "That sphere was real, and recent. Something...something in me knows. He's alive, not dead or unsent, but alive, and he's in danger."

"But what about the trip to the farplane?" Gippal asked.

"I think that's where he is. I don't know how I know this, but I do." With a long sigh, she flopped down on the bed and sniffed gently, tears building back up. "Guess I looked like a spaz back there, huh?"

Gippal frowned as he looked down at her. "You know that's not true. We were all worried about you." He placed a hand on hers and gave her a half-smile. "But I think they want to know what's up, you weren't very subtle about it."

He made her laugh before she nodded. "I should." Sighing, she stood up and felt the celsius shake from under her. "I guess they are taking my suggestion."

Tidus, Yuna, and Paine came up to the loft and confirmed they were heading to the Farplane and when Yuna gave that look to Rikku again, the girl Al Bhed spilled the beans. She apologized for not telling anyone sooner because of what they would think, but Yuna simply smiled and told her she had nothing to worry about.

"Ooooh, you had a crush on Auron?" Tidus smiled wide and laughed. Rikku threw a pillow at his head, which connected. "So, what if he's not in the Farplane?"

"I think he might be." Rikku looked at them all and slightly blushed. "I don't know how I know, but... I think he's hidden somewhere and something really bad is going on."

It was Yuna's turn to get worried as she sat opposite of Gippal on the bed at Rikku's feet. "You...you don't think he's dead, do you." It wasn't a question, but Rikku nodded anyway. "To be honest, I don't think he is either. And that sphere was never there before. I wonder if someone left it for us?"

Rikku shrugged. "I don't know."

"What if it's a trap?" Paine spoke up from behind the four around the bed.

"It's not. It's a real sphere." A muffled voice made them all turn to the stairs and seen Shinra standing at the landing. "I went over it many times and it's as real as can be. I also think it was made in the Farplane."

"Beat you to that." Rikku made a smug kind of smile just as the ship came to a stop. "Looks like we are at Guadosalam." Rikku sat up from the bed and swung her feet to the floor.

"You alright?" Gippal stood with her and tilted his head to the side.

"You betcha!" She raised a hand in the air and brought it down into a fist. "And I'm ready to find out what's going on, too!"

"That's my girl." Gippal chuckled and nodded his head as everyone headed down and out of the ship.

* * *

"Hello, loves!" Upon heading into Guadosalam, the five friends ran into LeBlanc and Nooj who were emerging from her house. "What do we owe the pleasure?"

"Heading into the Farplane." Gippal explained and nodded tword Nooj. "Hey Nooj."

Nooj did the same kind of half-nod. "Gippal."

Rikku stepped forward, breaking up the meeting of the Crimson Squad boys. "Has anything weird been happening around the Farplane entrance?" She asked LeBlanc who looked confused for a minute.

"The... Hm." The tall blonde woman put a finger to her chin and thought. "Now that you mention it, one of the guards said they seen some weird lights coming from inside a few nights ago."

"No one came in or out?" It was Yuna's turn for a question and LeBlanc turned her head to her.

"Nope. I have people watching it day and night." She waved her hand as if that settled the matter. Rikku moved back behind Tidus and Paine and began to look around. Yuna noted what she was up to and kept LeBlanc's attention diverted. "Well, I'm sure you have things pretty tight around here. Tell us about the lights?"

"They just said... Ahem. What's this about anyway?" LeBlanc crossed her arms under her half-exposed chest and gave them all a suspicious look.

Gippal looked to Nooj for some help, but the machina-fused man looked as interested as his girlfriend. "Erm, well. It's kinda hard to say..." One of his hands reached behind his head and rubbed at the stands of blonde.

Rikku appeared behind Gippal and waved to LeBlanc. "Hey, don't worry about it! Anyway, we are just going to see a few people, you guys have fun. _Come on_." She hissed at the group as they began to head up the ramp that lead to the Farplane. They passed two guards who waved to them, as they headed up the stairs.

"What did you find out?" Yuna turned to Rikku who had a had a devilish smirk on her lips.

"Turns out LeBlanc only thinks people guard it all the time. When she turns in, most of the guards fall asleep on watch or go off to do something else. The guard I talked to, of course, said he never did this but others have."

"So someone could have came out to deliver the sphere..." Tidus wondered out loud as the team made their way up the stairs.

"What about the holes Vegnagun made?" Paine looked to Yuna who stopped in her tracks causing Tidus to nearly crash into her.

"I didn't think about them." She admitted.

"I don't know about the one in Bevelle, but I know the others are being filled up as we speak." Gippal stood in front of them all and turned around. "You know Baralai and Bevelle. Still all secretes. He said he'd have his own team work on filling up the one beneath there. I have some Machine Faction members working on the others. And they aren't running off at night and making sure no one would come in and out of them."

Rikku placed her hands on her head and shook it. "Ahhh! Let's just see if he's in there first." She pointed to the Farplane, but no one moved. "What?"

"Maybe you should go alone?" Yuna suggested, her one shoulder shrugging.

The color left Rikku's face. "But... I..." She stuttered and turned to look at the entrance. "Oh, come on!" She pouted and looked around at the serious faces. "What if something happens to me?"

"She's right, let's go." That was all Gippal needed to hear and was closing in on the entrance, the others close by.

* * *

As the five of them stepped into the floating platform, millions of pyreflies dance around, causing the place to light up in a brilliant illuminance. Rikku shivered a bit, but her curiosity overrode her fear. She stepped close to the side and closed her eyes, thinking about Auron. When she opened them, "Nothing."

Tidus walked up next to her with a frown. "Hm." Closing his own eyes, Rikku looked around but didn't see anyone. "Hey... What's going on?"

"Who were you thinking about?" Rikku timidly asked, looking around still.

"My old man." Tidus turned to Yuna. "Try thinking about your parents."

Yuna walked over to the two and shook her head. "I tried, and I got nothing."

Scoffing out, Tidus waved his hands between the sea of floating pyreflies. "What, are they broken or something?"

"Something is obviously going on." Gippal walked over to them, hands on his hips. "Not that I know much about the Farplane or anything, being an Al Bhed, but I do know that they don't break."

Paine finally joined the others, her face set in determination. "We have to go inside."

"The Farplane?" Rikku squeaked, clasping her hands together in front of her chest. "Are you sure?"

Sighing loudly, Paine marched right up to Rikku. "Listen, if you care so much about Auron, you wouldn't be worried about this. You'd do everything you can to help him. You aren't a child, Rikku." Placing her gloved hands on Rikku's bare shoulders, the Al Bhed stood up to full height.

"You're right!" Turning around she glared into the sea of floating lights and frowned. "And nothing is going to stop me!"

* * *

"Seems we have some problems."

"Who, them? Don't make me laugh."

"Don't be so cocky. They are strong. They could ruin our plans."

"We will stop them. We were weak before."

"This is true. But you must understand we can't take them lightly."

"I understand."

"Where are you going?"

"To make plans, of course! We are having company after all."


	6. VI

**A/N** - Sorry it took me so long to update, don't worry, I didn't forget about it. I have some out-of-state time coming up next week, so I hope to get some more out before I go.

I want to **thank you all** for reading and reviewing this story, that makes me feel really good and hope to never disappoint. ;) Thank you all very much!

If you are wondering about the scenery to this, all I have to say is "too much Silent Hill". Hehe. But it fit into this, so... that works. Okie dokie!

* * *

Looking up into the darkening sky from the aircraft window, Rikku sighed heavily from her bed. The others were sitting at the bar eating a hot meal, but she wasn't in the mood for anything. They had all decided it was too late to head to the Farplane that night, and best to wait until morning with a solid plan. Rikku almost voiced that the last thing she wanted to do was wait. Horrible images pasted into her head, and nothing could shake them.

_What if he's being killed right now? Or being hurt and we could stop it?_ She felt the burning of tears and closed her eyes slowly. _**Can** he be killed? Is he even alive? Why wouldn't the pyreflies respond to anything? What the hell is going on?_

Turning onto her side, she opened her eyes and felt hot tears fall down her cheeks. Why was this happening?

"Rikku?" Gippal walked up the stairs and seen Rikku laying on her side, her back facing him. He just as figured she was asleep and didn't blame her at all. She had a hard and confusing day. He walked over to the side of her bed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "_Don't you worry_," he whispered gently with a smile. "_We'll find out what's going on_." With a small squeeze of her shoulder, he went back down to the floor and rejoined the others. Rikku didn't want him to worry, so she kept quiet. His words touched her and made the tears flow harder, hoping silently she didn't start crying out.

"How big is the Farplane anyway?" Tidus rested his elbow against the top of the bar and sighed. That question earned him two and a half pair of wide eyes. "Uh..."

"It goes on forever." Gippal sat back down in his chair and picked up his drink. "When me, Nooj, and Baralai went looking for Vegnagun, it seemed that we were lost and stuck there."

"It goes on for about that long." Yuna sighed and rested her hands against the bar, the cool marble against her palms. "It is going to take us a long time."

"But, hey! We can do it!" Tidus looked around at all of them and they all gave confident smiles.

"Damn right we'll do it." Gippal put his drink down and yawned. "But not until tomorrow. So, what is the plan?"

Paine stood up from her stool and brushed her pants off, shaking loose some of the fallen breadcrumbs left over from dinner. "We go into the Farplane and start looking."

Yuna nodded and then looked to Gippal. "When the three of you were looking around, have you ever seen anything like what was in there sphere?"

Gippal pursed his lips in thought, his one good eye focusing on a spot on the counter. "Nothing like that. It seemed to be some dungeon or something. Then again..." His head turned up and closed his eye to rack his brain. "I remember there was something under Vegnagun, like... some kind of door to something."

"Hmm... Hey! I think I remember that too!" Yuna sat up and looked over to Gippal. "What Vegnagun was perched on seemed to have more to it."

"We could start there, then." Paine finished her drink and began to walk from the counter. "We leave early."

Gippal laughed at Paine and her take charge attitude and how different it was from the Crimson Squad. He shook his head and turned back to Tidus and Yuna. "She has a point. I'm turning in." He waved at the two lovers who sat together and went up the stairs to the bedrooms where a cot was set up for him. When he got there, he frowned at Rikku's sleeping body and went to lay in his bed. He was fighting an internal struggle. He wanted to help find Auron for her, but that would mean losing her. He shook his head as he pulled off his boots. He wouldn't lose her, he never had her. And it hurt him. But seeing her happy was what mattered.

* * *

"We all ready?" Tidus turned back to the others once they all stepped out of the airship. It seemed to be a mix of emotions through the group. Yuna looked worried about what was going on, Rikku's face was drained of it's color, but determination swirled in those emerald colored orbs. Gippal looked worried for Rikku, but ready to get things done, and Paine. Well, was Paine.

"Let's go." The gray-haired warrior began to walk to the opening of the ship where Brother would drop them off. They had already pinpointed Vegnagun's whereabouts from the last time they were there, making it easier for the group. Once Paine jumped from the ship, Tidus looked to Yuna and took her hand, nodding gently.

With a small smile, she nodded back and they began to walk to the opening. "You going to be ok?" Yuna turned to Rikku who gave her a tiny hint of a smile. "We'll find out what's going on." Her cousin stated and waved her hand to the end of the ship. "Let's go!"

The feeling of determination swept through Rikku and she shook her head. "What the hell am I doing? Let's go, Gullwings!" A true smile broke through her once scared and saddened mask.

"That's the spirit kiddo!" Gippal patted her shoulder and began to jog forward. "Come on!" Rikku let out a small laugh at being left behind and was soon leaping off the ship into the valley of the dead.

"What's going on?!" Rikku landed on the ground softly and was greeted by Yuna's frantic words. Without asking, she knew just what was wrong.

Foggy clouds of deep crimson red replaced the glowing orbs of the pyreflies, an ominous feeling hung in the air. The temperature that was normally in the Farplane was usually warm, but now it was a bone-chilling cold. Rikku gasped at the fact and hugged herself tight.

"Wh...What happened?" She shivered, looking around scared. She was never one to go into the Farplane, but she knew it had never looked like this before.

The rest of the group stood on top of the stand Vegnagun once stayed, mouths all open in shock. "Yuna, have you heard anything like this?"

Yuna turned to the voice of Gippal and shook her head. "Through all my years learning of Yevon... Never. Nothing like this. Something is horribly wrong."

Gippal folded his arms across his chest, pouting as he looked around the scene. "Well, we can stand here and gape or get going."

"Right." Rikku pulled out her daggers and looked around at the others. "This is obviously something bigger than what we came for, but..." She sighed gently. "Let's go see what's going on."

Paine pulled out her sword and gave Rikku a comforting smile. "Exactly." Walking to the other side of the platform, the group soon followed. Yuna sent up a message for Shinra to come check out what was going on, take some documentaries.

"He said he'd contact us if he found out anything." She put the small commsphere in her pocket and Rikku turned her head with a small nod. She was about to open her mouth for a response, when two large hands shoved her forward, knocking her down to the ground.

Stunned for a moment, she hesitated to stand up when a icy cold feeling pass over her back, sending chills through her. She turned her head to see Gippal pull out his machina gun and firing it at something in the distance.

"Hey!" She jumped up and bushed off her skirt. "What was that about?"

Gippal turned his head at her, gun still in hands and pointed to the side. "Something just mauled you." He responded grimly, then turned to look off. "Huh, it's gone." He put his gun on his shoulder and turned back to Rikku. "You should really start paying attention."

Rikku's eyes narrowed as her hands rested on her hips. "I was! It's just... Well, for a second..."

"A precious second that would have taken your head if I didn't get you out of the way. Start paying attention." Gippal moved passed her to walk ahead of the now stopped group.

Feeling numb, Rikku moved her feet to walk and the party led on. She knew he was right. Something was wrong with the Farplane and she had to be on full alert to watch for the fiends in the area. She drew her daggers in front of her as they stopped.

"Here is the passage." Gippal turned to the rest and Tidus sprinted forward to help pull the large metal casing that covered the entrance.

"You ok?" Yuna's small voice made Rikku jump slightly as it came up on her side.

"Yeah, he had a good point." Rikku smiled to her cousin and turned back to the guys pulling up the door. "Weird, fiends usually just don't charge like that."

Yuna shrugged. "I didn't see it fully. Just kind of a blur. It was fast." She began to walk to the men once the clattering subsided, meaning they got it off.

"Alright." Gippal picked up his gun that he had set down and looked into the hole. "There are some stairs, we should be alright." He nodded to Tidus who went down them first, followed by Yuna and Paine. He held Rikku back for a minute when she neared. "Hey, I hope you aren't upset."

She waved her hand in the air. "No way. Not at all. You were right, things aren't right around here." She shivered at the thought as she looked around her.

"I just want to make sure you are ok." He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "Come on, let's go before they leave us." He let her go first so he could watch the back of them and before long they joined the others in the pit.

"This is it." Rikku felt her heart drop when she seen the dark stone walls, the smell of damp musk invaded her sinuses making her turn her head, hand over nose and mouth. "Ugh! What is that?"

Gippal turned his head to the side and sneezed twice before shaking his head. "I don't think I want to know. Horrible!" Coughing, he looked at the other who were taken over by the dampness. "I didn't know there was water in the Farplane?"

Yuna waved a hand in front of her face, her visage pinched from the odor. "Not that I know of. It has to be something. Smells like... Huh, I can't even describe it."

"Dead bodies." Paine turned to them and frowned. "Decomposing bodies, to be more precise." The others gave her weird looks, but she shrugged it off. "And musty water..." She turned to the passageway and shrugged. "Shouldn't waste time thinking about it."

The other four followed suit and headed down the narrow hallway, in total silence. The only sounds around them were soft footsteps and the dripping water that echoed off the cold walls.

Rikku held tight onto her blades until her knuckles turned white under her gloves. She knew also that her palms we hot and sweaty, contrasting the cold that swept through her. She realized it wasn't just the air that was cold, but the feeling behind it. Something was really wrong, and she was terrified. The silence began to build in her ears, almost deafening, as her eyes scanned around. She felt something close, but didn't know if that was true, or just that bad feeling inside of her.

"**YUNA**!" Tidus' cry made her gasp out and jump. She looked past Paine to see what was going on and spotted a large fiend blocking their path. Yuna was no where to be seen.

Before asking question, she knew they had to take out the main problem first and was ready to strike when Tidus' hand shot out to stop her from charging. "No! It has Yuna!" Rikku stopped and seen that the fiend did in fact have her cousin.

"It would be wise for you to stay where you are."

The four gasped as the fiend, an Omega Weapon, began to speak in an eerie voice that made Rikku shiver harder.

"You will all drop your weapons and follow me. Or the summoner dies."

The clattering of weapons hit the floor in sync as the monster put it's large arm over Yuna's throat, making her cry out softly.

"What are you doing?" Tidus shook with anger as his hands fisted into balls along his side.

"Come with me." The Weapon turned around and began to walk down the hall, still holding Yuna in it's grasp. "Don't think of leaving either."

Rikku's eyes looked back and heard a low growling sound and walked faster. Gippal watched as they walked from their weapons and frowned deeply.

"This is so not good." He sighed and put an arm around Rikku tightly. "We'll be alright, ok?" He whispered and gave her a hopeful half-smile.

She nodded and returned the grin as they headed further down the hallway. The stench that hung in the air became thicker as they went on. Rikku's eyes watered and her stomach turned making walking seem like such a hard chore.

"In here." The fiend stopped as they reached a row of bars, bound together much like a jail-cell would be. The giant fiend pushed Tidus, Paine, Rikku, and Gippal into the cell before shutting and locking the door.

"NO! Let her go!" Tidus ran to the bar and shook it violently. The Weapon gave a deep bellowing laugh, and turned to walk further down the hall. "Yuna!"

"Tidus!!" Yuna cried out, before the figure of the Weapon and Yuna's voice disappeared.

Tidus kicked the door hard and growled. "What the hell is going on?!"

Rikku stood up from the ground and brushed off her legs. "That big meanie..." Turning to Gippal, who was a step-ahead of her and looking at the lock, she grinned. "Think we master Al Bhed can break this open?"

"You betcha!" He turned to her with a large smile. "That is... if we have some tools."

"Machine Faction Leader my butt..." Rikku dug through the pouch along her hip and handed him a few things to use.

"Hurry up! We have to go save Yuna!" Tidus moved from the door to give Gippal some space to work, his arms crossing his chest.

"Always out to play the hero."

Rikku felt her blood freeze, the voice that haunted her through dreams and reality had come from the back of the cell, which had been too dark to notice anything before.

Whirling around quickly, she heard Tidus confirm it. "Auron?!"

Gasping out, her hands covered her mouth as her eyes got used to the dim lights. A lump of crimson in the corner began to stir as a fresh wave of tears spilled down her cheeks. "Oh... Auron..."


	7. VII

**A/N** - Once again, I want to thank all of you for the wonderful reviews you all have been writing for me! It means so much and makes me want to write more! Yay! massive love all around You guys are the best!

This chapter was a bit hard because I'm trying to piece the plot together and I'm having problems with who is doing what, but thankfully the characters got blind-sided like me and we can "fake" the confusion well. Enjoy!

* * *

Without so much as a second thought, Rikku ran strait to the back and embraced the man she hand longed to hold just once more. The tears that flooded her eyes were now cascading down her face and onto Auron's shoulder. He let out a grunt of pain, but managed to get an arm around her shoulders. "I... I knew something... Something was going on..." Her words were broken and sobbed, her face turning to brush against his hair.

Gippal turned his back on the two and sighed, taking a screwdriver Rikku handed him and continued his work on the lock. He was happy for her, but it still caused a dull ache in the pit of his stomach. In all his years, he knew he felt something for Rikku, but his ego got in the way thinking she wouldn't find anyone else. He mentally kicked himself the whole time he found out about her feelings for Auron, though.

"Are...you ok?" Rikku sniffed and reluctantly released Auron from her emotional grasp. "Oh, you look a mess." A small and worried laugh left her lips as she sat back to inspect him in the darkness. "As...far as I can tell, that is."

"Fira!" Paine's voice made Rikku turn and seen her friend use a fire spell to light a torch that was hanging along the stone wall. The small room lit up and Rikku turned back to Auron with a soft gasp.

She was right, he was indeed a mess. His hair was matted with dirt and blood, as was his whole body. Gashes along his head had blood running down his face, which had dried and created dark-red streaks. "Ah, I'm alright."

"Don't be silly." Rikku looked into her other pouch and pulled out two bottles. One was a hi-potion which she made Auron drink. The second was a regular potion, which she used to dab her scarf into and began to clean his wounds. He had opened his mouth to protest, but she gave him a serious look. "Don't even try it. Instead, tell us what's going on."

Auron sighed and smiled. He never thought he would be so happy to see both Tidus and Rikku in his whole life. True, ever since Rikku confessed her love to him a few years back, he had always thought about her in the Farplane, and he knew he had emotions for her. No doubt about that. As he looked at her under the glowing light now, he had seen how much she had changed. Her hair was longer and she was older. A woman.

"Yoohoo! Auron!" Tidus let out a laugh as he walked forward, the former guardian tilting his head down to hide the blush that almost over-powered his cheeks. Rikku just smiled as her face matched the blush and went back to cleaning his wounds. "So, what's up?"

"I...don't know." Grunting, he sat up in a more comfortable position. The hi-potion he had taken started to work, and he could feel his energy start to return. "Seymour..."

"What?!" Three voices went back at him as he chuckled.

"I don't know what exactly is going on, but he is the one who put me in here. And thanks to some...lackey, I've had daily beatings." He sighed heavily. "They drugged me with something at first, cowards knew I couldn't go down so easily." He winced as Rikku moved her scarf across a now healing cut on his head. "Anyway, I don't know what else is going on, but I do know it's really big."

"Have you seen the Farplane recently?" Paine walked forward and leaned against the wall, her head tilted to the side. Auron shook his head just a bit, not wanting to break contact from Rikku's hands. "It's a nightmare out there. The pyreflies seem to be gone and some red fog is now the outside."

Auron groaned and took a deep breath. "What is that bastard doing..." He turned to Tidus and raised a brow. "So, I guess all the pyreflies were let out, then?"

"How do you mean?" Tidus stepped closer to Auron and looked down to the older mans face.

"If all the pyreflies are gone, they can only be in one of two places. Back into bodies or fiends. You were a dream, you kept your body but came back once the pyreflies joined it." He sat up against the wall and shivered slightly as Rikku's nursing went to his scraped neck.

"Well, hey! What about you?" Tidus frowned, confused. "I thought you were supposed to be dead?"

"Tidus!" Rikku turned her head to him and scowled. "Don't have to say it like that..." She muttered and dipped her scarf into the bottle in front of her.

"No, he's right." Auron turned his head to the side and closed his good eye. "Funny thing is, I don't know why I'm here. One day I was sitting in the Farplane, and next thing I knew, Seymour threw me in here. He didn't say anything, though."

"Got it!" Gippal's voice made the other look to the front of the cell where he stood proud, holding the lock in his hands.

"You might want to put that back on." Auron frowned as Tidus' angry look met his face. "Listen, the monsters out there are not at all like the ones we fought, even at our best we couldn't touch them. Going out now would be suicide."

"What about Yuna?" Tidus waved his hand to the door indignantly. "And with Seymour?!"

Paine scoffed and moved from the wall. "Yuna can take care of herself. Besides, if all the pyreflies are gone...can any of us die?"

"I don't think so." Auron lifted his head, his mouth barely inching over the collar that wrapped around him. "But that doesn't mean no one can get hurt. Plus, who really knows." Clearing his throat, he looked from Paine and Gippal. "Uh, who are you two anyway?"

Gippal snorted and went back to replacing the lock, yet not clasping it together, just incase. Rikku frowned at him and sighed. "That's Gippal, he's an Al Bhed. And that's Paine. She's a sphere hunter with me and Yunie." Smiling, she sat back and squeezed out her scarf looking him over. "Looking better, how do you feel?"

Auron's one eye roamed to the male at the door and gave a small frown. As he turned to Rikku, his lips turned up to smile gently. "Much better, thank you."

She laughed softly and waved her hand. "Think nothing of it." Looking up at him, she frowned and rested her hands on her legs. "So, what do we do now?"

Auron shrugged and looked up to Tidus. As he opened his mouth to ask him a question, a loud buzz of static sent eyes to Gippal who was sitting by the doorway.

"How on Spira did I forget I had this?!" He angrily looked into his pocket and pulled out a mini-commsphere. "Shinra! Can you hear me?"

"No need to shout." Shinra's voice came back to him as he exhaled heavily. "What's the situation?"

"What a question." Gippal frowned and shook his head. "We found Auron, but here comes the bad news. We are captured too. There are some pretty nasty fiends here."

Shinra made a small groan and shook his head. "I have bad news as well. Baralai has been reported missing just a minute ago. Nooj made contact with us asking to look for him, but I told him we are busy with our own."

"Any good news?" Rikku leaned over to see Shinra's image in the sphere. She also saw him shake his head.

"Good news? No, but I do have worse news." He began to hit some buttons in front of him and sighed. "The readings from the clouds inside the Farplane are inconclusive. I'm finding traces of the same substance used to make spheres. But... It's very negative. Broke my machine..." He muttered angrily, but when Gippal cleared his throat, Shinra went on. "Pretty evil stuff is what it is."

"Any sign of pyreflies?" Paine asked, looking down at the sphere.

Again, Shinra shook his head. "Not a one. But we got chased out by some pretty heavy duty fiends." He sighed once more and sat back in his chair. "Where is Yuna?"

Tidus grumbled and flopped his arms to the side. "Fiends took her. Apparently Seymour Guado is here."

"What?" Shinra sat back up quickly. "Hmm. I think I might have something. I'll get in touch with you after I look a few things up." And the com went dead.

"Let's hope he's right." Gippal replaced the com into his pocket and sighed. "Hey wait!" Smacking himself in the head, he turned the mic and video output on his sphere off. "Yuna still has her sphere on! Let's see if we can pick up anything."

* * *

_"Let me out of here!" Sounds of Yuna's voice and banging of bars filled the commsphere._

_"Not so fast."_

_Yuna gasped. "Seymour!"_

_"What happened to Maester? Or... Husband?" His cold laugh filled the room. "We are still married you know."_

_"Go to hell!"_

_"Oh, I've been there. Not as fun as this, I assure you."_

_"What are you doing with this place?" Yuna's voice became high-pitched, sobbing. "Why are you back?"_

_"Funny you should ask. All will be found out soon enough." His footsteps echoed. "Hm? A sphere? Ah, that's right. You arrived with your guardians. I almost forgot. Don't you worry. I have people taking care of them for me."_

_"You... bastard!" Yuna hissed, Seymour laughed._

_"Indeed I am. But, you won't need this anymore."_

_"NO!"_

The sound of static filled the cell and Gippal shut off the sphere. "Well, atleast we got something." He replaced the device back into his pocket and sighed.

"Poor Yunie!" Rikku's hands were placed on her shoulders as she slumped against the wall. "Oh! He's such a jerk..."

Tidus stood up and connected his fist into the wall. "He's going to pay for this!"

"Calm down." Auron looked up at Tidus who looked like he was ready to tear ass through the wall to Seymour. "Getting upset doesn't do anything but make you act irrational. We need to find out what he's up to first."

"I'll go find out." Gippal stood up and walked to the gate. "I can sneak around and..."

"Don't you dare!" Rikku jumped up strait and marched over to him. "You heard about the fiends. They are probably swarming around and you don't have your gun with you!"

"It's better than staying here." He muttered and looked away from her. He pressed his head against the bars and looked up and down the halls. "I don't see anything..."

"I'm going too!" Tidus walked over to Gippal and seeing Rikku's face he smiled and placed his hands in front of him like a shield. "Look! I have a no-encounter setting on my arm-guard. They might not even notice us!"

"Then I'm going as well." Paine pushed up from the wall and Rikku's mouth opened wide. "I have my black mage sphere, if anything happens I have a lot of spells handy."

"So, what? You are all going to leave us?" Rikku waved a hand to Auron. "He's in bad shape!"

"Then you stay with him." Paine placed a hand on Rikku's shoulder and winked. Scoffing, Rikku couldn't help but laugh. "Here, take this." Paine placed a sphere in Rikku's hand. "If you need it. I know you weren't in the right state of mind to bring it, so..." Smiling faintly, Paine turned to Tidus and Gippal. "Let's go, boys."

Rikku watched as the three stealthfully made their way from the cell. Her hand caught Gippal's as he was shutting the gate. "Be careful. Please?" Her eyes bore into his good one and he sighed gently.

"I will. You take care, alright?" With a half-smile, he walked off to catch up with Paine and Tidus.

"Ah well." Rikku walked back to Auron with a grin. "Guess you're stuck with me then?"

"Doesn't sound too bad." Grimacing from the pain radiating through his body, he moved along the wall to relax his body. "What's that?" He nodded his head to the glowing sphere in Rikku's hand.

"It's my Berserker dressphere." She held it up into the light with a smile. "I mastered it, so it will come in handy should anything happen." Turning her head to look at him, she frowned slightly after putting away the orb. "You ok?"

Auron nodded his head. "I've been sleeping on this floor for who knows how long..." He muttered and shook his head. "Almost used to it now."

Rikku looked over herself and laughed. "Didn't really bring much with us, sadly."

"Nor are you wearing much." Auron raised his brow and chuckled as Rikku blushed and crossed her arms in front of her bare stomach.

"What can I say? We Al Bhed need to wear such clothes for the hot sun." She moved one hand over her shoulder gently. "Unlike this place..."

"Cold?" Auron asked, but knowing she was. Whether she knew it or not, her lips were turning a slight shade of blue. She shook her head and began to say she wasn't, but he lifted up his arm for her. "Come here." He moved his coat so she could fit into the crook of his arm with the heavy garb around her as well. "Body heat." He smiled once she began to move to him.

_Who can argue with that?_ She asked herself, the faint warmth seeping into her cheeks as she slid down next to him. His skin was cool to the touch from staying in this place for so long, but together, a blanket of warmth began to fill his coat. She kept her hands on her lap as her shoulder moved closer to him, nestling in. Bitting at her bottom lip, Rikku inwardly fought with herself if she should tell him everything or not. _I might not have this chance again, with all that's going on..._ She reminded herself before clearing her throat.

"You were wrong, by the way." She started, her tone almost flippant.

Auron turned his gaze to the top of her head, all that he could see, and frowned. "About what?"

"Two years ago. You told me I would forget about you when I got older. I didn't." She laughed, sniffing back tears that were trying to build up. "Not a day went by in those two years where I didn't think of you. It's weird how I couldn't give it up. Not that I wanted to, but... I couldn't accept you were dead. Something in me believed you were still alive." She turned to look up at him, catching his gaze on her. "When I seen that sphere we got of you... I guess I hoped that all my thoughts were true, and you weren't. ...are you?"

Auron sighed heavily. "No, I'm not." Turning his head to look upwards, his eye closed, a smile crossing his face. "Never was, actually. You were right. When we all defeated Sin, I promised Jecht and Braska I would go back with them, to keep the Farplane together. Since Yevon was gone, Braska thought things would go into chaos."

"Is...is that what's happening now?" Rikku turned her upper-body to him, eyes wide.

"I'm not sure. When I was taken here, I have no idea where Braska or Jecht went." He shook his head and brought a leg up to move the side of his body a little closer to Rikku. "I did miss the warm, though... Anyway, I told everyone I was dead so there would be no suspicions around in the Farplane or on Spira for that matter. If people knew the Farplane could fall apart..."

"Who knows what they'd do." Rikku finished, tone bitter.

"Exactly. That's why I was able to get the hell beat out of me and feel it all." Laughing softly, he moved one of his still gloved hands, up and down the hem of his coat. "I would have told you, but... I didn't want anyone to know. The pyreflies are already jealous of the living, if they knew I wasn't dead... It wouldn't be pretty. So we went along with the story that I had died and helped keep the Farplane together." He tilted his head back to the wall, the faint sound of the fire in the torch almost a deafening silence. "I thought about you a lot. Wondered what you were up to, if you were ok. Wondered what things would be like if I didn't leave."

Rikku pressed her face against his chest and laughed softly. "Would have been interesting, though."

"I didn't mean what I said before." He frowned, thinking back to that time two years ago. "I guess I said it to myself more than you. I knew I couldn't stay, and I wanted you to have a happy life."

She turned her head up to look at him, eyes dancing under the light. "We had some good times, us Gullwings, but, I did miss you like crazy." She flashed him a bright smile and tilted her head down. "Looks like we'll be working together again, though."

Auron nodded his head slowly before gently resting his cheek upon the top of her head. "You did a great job fixing me up, I can feel my strength returning. We'll have to go out and see what's going on soon."

"I know it's kinda mean to say, but the world could fall apart right now and I wouldn't notice." Rikku giggle and turned her eyes to him, then cleared her throat in a more serious tone. "Sorry, guess I shouldn't have said that..."

"No, actually. I feel the same." He moved his left arm, one opposite from the side she occupied, and placed his thumb and bent in pointer finger on her chin. "I should have done this before." And even before Rikku could register what he was doing, his mouth was on hers, kissing her soft lips gently.

Rikku's wide and surprised eyes began to slowly sink to a close as she pressed her lips against his, not only accepting, but returning his kiss. Her arms wrapped gently around his side, still careful not to cause him discomfort, but when his other arm pulled her in tighter, she took it as him urging her on, so she did.

Tilting her head to the side, her lips parted slightly against his when she felt his do the same. Her tongue timidly moved from her mouth to trace slowly along the outline of his lips, the spicy taste of him making her gently shiver. The sound he made in his throat made the blush across her face seem to flush through her body, warming her up more than his thick coat would ever provide. Her arm moved up and snaked around to the back of his neck just when his own tongue plunged to deepen the act of pent up affection between the two.

With a slight and gentle moan, Rikku's eyes closed tighter, emotions starting to get the best of her as tears formed a wall behind her closed eyes. Auron picked it up instantly and pulled back from the kiss. "Hey, hey... You alright?"

Ashamed of her actions, Rikku turned her head down and waved the hand that was behind his neck. "I'm... fine, really. I just don't want this to be the last time..." Sniffing back the tears at an attempt that proved to do her no justice, a lone tear fell down her soft cheek and onto his extended arm.

"Honestly, I have a feeling it won't be." Auron's lips turned up into a smile as his hand ran through her soft golden hair.

"Well, well, well." A voice from the front of the cell called their attention as their heads moved to the source. "In't dis sumptin' speshil?" The oily guy Rikku had seen in the sphere of Auron was standing at the gate with a shorter and porcine man. "'oo bad we got'a break dees love birds up."

* * *

Out of all the kiss-scenes I have ever written, this was my all-time favorite. . They are too damn cute. squee!


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